Medical Support Assistant

This is a Medical Support Assistant (non-clinical) position, which is different from a Medical Assistant role. The Medical Support Assistant position focuses on providing support in the medical setting, including face-to-face interactions with patients and customers, being primarily administrative in nature. The MSA is responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, and scheduling appointments.

Qualifications:

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Experience and Education.
  • (1) Experience. Six months experience of clerical, office, customer service, or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; OR,
  • (2) Education. One year above high school; OR,
  • (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations:
Medical Support Assistant, GS-3 Grade Requirements (Entry Level):
(a) Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

• Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals in a courteous and helpful manner in order to give instructions and arrange appointments.
• Ability to utilize computer systems to enter administrative data in patient systems.
• Ability to learn and utilize basic medical terminology to record patient messages and physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care.

Medical Support Assistant, GS-4 Grade Requirements (Development Level):
(a) Experience. One year of experience in clerical, office, customer service, or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; OR,
(b) Education. Two years of education above high school.

In addition to meeting the experience or requirements, candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

• Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals from varying backgrounds and other health care team members in a courteous and helpful manner in order to facilitate medical care for patients]
• Ability to use, and navigate between, various types of office automation equipment and software (i.e. computer systems, web based scheduling programs; insurance collection system; scanning software, multiple line phone systems; electronic faxing programs) to support patient care.
• Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients.
• Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics.

Medical Support Assistant, GS-5 Grade Requirements (Full Performance Level):
(a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-4 grade level; OR,
(b) Education. Four years of education above high school.

In addition to meeting the experience or requirements, candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

• Ability to operate computerized programs and [systems] in order to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information [(PII)] into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients.
• Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting.
• Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally [in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers.
• Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-05. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-05.

Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary, although some slight physical effort will be required using computers/phones; there may be some light lifting/carrying of files/documents; and walking throughout the service/facility for meetings, etc.

Responsibilities:

Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf

Medical Support Assistant: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-MSA-VA-Career-Flyer.pdf

This position is under the Health Administration Service in the Community Care section. The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services. Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes. The MSA is responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling appointments, including interpreting, and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.

Major Duties include:

• Scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults;
• Entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources;
• Participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic, monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility;
• Verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients check-in for appointments;
• Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.).

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 05086A, 05085A, 05084A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Salary : $32,598